Method of making perforate latex



o .9 `h 2 2 e RS M L 1.5 mn mw BBW AMI Humm Lm Emn UTHD GMTd AOXG FE1 v ERATH Qwmm ,MHH.n... MRO FO Mm v I aww 4u 9 ,1.

Miren 16,

)ver BY fpm Q4/1a,

Q Alm Reiigd Mu. 1s, 1943 METHOD F MAKING PERFORATE RUBBER FILMS WITH 0R WITHOUT TEX- TILE FABRIC BACKINGS Merwyn C. Teague, Ridgewood, N. J., and'laul L.

Mahoney, Jackson Heights, N. Y.,

assig'nors to United `States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Original No. 2,289,151, dated July 7, 1942, Serial No. 369,476, December 10, 194,0. Application for reissue January 27, 1943, Serial No. 473,740

claims; (01. 11a-57) Thisinvention relates to an improved method of making a perforate, elastic film of latex rubber. The method includes the manufacture of ,such films either separately or combined with textile fabrics, and this application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 209,188, led May 21, 1938.

The term latex" in the description and claims is used to designate'broadly coagulahle aqueous dispersions of elastic materials, including artiture inthe film under pressure cannot readily escape and it'causes pits or blisters to be formed in the lm.

The above diiculties are avoided by the prac# tice of the present invention, in which a coating of substantially uncoagulated latex is applied to a deposition backing and perforated thereon by clal dispersions of rubber or rubber-like mate- ,rials as well as natural latex, which may be preserved, compounded, thickened and/or otherwise treated as desired, as by vulcanization, and which may be in a normal, diluted, vconcentrated or purified condition produced by methods well known in the art.

The term "latex rubber is used herein to designate solids deposited in situ from "latex either by drying or chemical cOasulation.

When a coating of latex is applied to a. deposition backing and the solids therein are deposited from the coating on to the backing, as bydrying or chemically coagulatlng the coating, the film so formed by the deposit is coherent and elastic. Due to the tough elastic properties of such a fllm when dried it is not practicable to perforate it with an instrument so that the perforations will remain open in the relaxed film after the instrument is removed therefrom, unless portions of the film have been removed or softenedby heat and permanently deformed by the perforating instrument, which may be used in a punching out or closed molding operation. Both of these operations have some disadvantages.

In the punching out operation some of the ma- I terial is lost and the molding operation, when carried out in a closed mold, cannot be employed to make latex lms of extended lengths. l Furthermore, when such former methods are applied to lperforating latex films on a textile fabric deposition backing, they have the further disadvantage of injuring the fabric. In Vthe punching out operation thefabric-is injured as a result of the threads being cut by the punches,

which may also occur in the molding operation` when considerable pressure .is applied to the fabric by the molding pins. The pressure also forces the latex through the fabric and forms rubber deposits on the outer surface of the fabric,

which is undesirable, temperatures are used on a wet film in a closed mold the fabric may be stained.

There is still a further disadvantage of moldlng a wet latex nlm in a closed mold. The moisextending the ends of pins into or through 4the coating and removing the pins therefrom before it has" been substantially coagulated. IThe latex is reduced to such a viscous condition before the pins are removed that the openings formed by the pins do not close up as a result of forces of gravity and surface tension acting thereon. The term substantially uncoagulated as used herein includes that degree of coagulation where the latex retains its plastic and substantiallygnon and where relatively high l elastic condition and excludes that degree of coagulation where the latex has become .tough and elastic to the extent of a wet freshly coagulated nlm. As is well known, latex retains its plastic and non-elastic condition so long as the latex particles are somewhat dispersed, and it loses such condition in proportion to the degree of coagulation; The term plastic and substantially non-elastic condition" is used relatively in the 'foregoing sense.

.'I'he pins may be extended through or into the coating and are removed therefrom while the viscosity of 'thecoating at usual working temperatures is at least high enough to lsubstantially maintain the shape of thedepressions formed in the coating when subjected to no other ow producinginfiuences than the ordinary forces acting thereon, such as forces of gravity, surface tension and other internal stresses. The latex may be applied to the deposition backing while it isl in such a viscous condition 4or the latex may be converted into such condition after having been applied and before or 'after the pins have been inserted in the latex coating. The coating is ren- A dered coherent and elastic by drying the coating the pins.

In the practice of this invention the latex' may be applied to the deposition backing by spraying it, or spreading it, with a doctor blade, or a grooved roll, or bar, or the like, on to the backing in accordance with the usual known methods. The depositionA backing is preferably made of yieldable material, such as textile fabric which may be permanently combined with the perforate rubber film to produce a porous laminated textile andv latex rubber fabric, or the backing may be temporary and may be made of material, such L condition,

as soft rubber, either solid or sponge, from which the perforate latex rubber film may be removed after the film has been coagulated and nrendered coherent and elastic. The latex coating may be -applied directly to the temporary backing and the textile fabric subsequently combined with the coating and then removed with the textile fabric y from the temporary backing. In order tov facilimade of hard material such as hard rubber or glass, provided the ends of. the pins are tipped with soft resilient rubber or the like.

If it is desired to reduce the size of the perforations or depressions and the spacing therebetween after they are made in the coating, and also to super-relax the textile fabric that may be combined with the 'lm, the temporary or removable deposition backing is' made of elastic material. In the event the latex coating is applied directly to the` elastic backing the pins are extended into and withdrawn from the coating while the backing is retained in a stretched 22,290 which is rotated sothat the projecting ends condition. 'Ihe tension on thev elastic backing is then'released and the size of and the vdistance between the depressions or holes in the coating are reduced by the contraction of the elastic backing., If it is desired to combine a textile fabric. having a knitted or open weaveV with the pin impressed rubber nlm, it is adhered tothe film prior to the release of the tension on the 'stretched deposition backing. Before the tension is released the film is dried to aV tacky but is`not rendered so stiff as to materially resist the contraction of the elastic backing. When the tension is released on thel backing the threads of the textile fabric extending n'the direction of the contraction of the backing are shortened and/or buckled by the contractive forces of the elastic deposition backing.`

When the threads of the textile fabric are so retained, the fabric is referred to asv being superrelaxed. The coating of latex is then heated to cause it to set in its condensed condition, and to render it suiiiciently elastic to elastically retain the textile fabric in the super-relaxed condition without the aid of the deposition backing. The latex rubber nlm while adhered to the textile fabric may be stripped from the elastic backing and the threadsiwill be retained in the superrelaxed condition. The porosity of the lm may be improved by stretching it to break any nlms of rubber over the openings after it has been stripped oif the backing.

It vis also contemplated that the latex coating may be applied directly to the textile fabric.

having aknittedor open woven construction and that the coating be penetrated by the pins while on the fabric, partially dried, and /then adhered to -the stretched elastic surface, the tension on the surface being subsequently released to contract the coating and thereby reduce the size vof the holes or space betweenA such holes or depressions. The textile fabric is simultaneously super-relaxed and the laminated fabric vis treated as previously described. I

One end of each penetrating pin is retained in a support, and the other end projects from the surface of the support. The surface of the depressions therein, and the of latex carried by the pin support may be the periphery of a cylinder 15 of the pins are extended into the latex coating carried by the deposition surface or backing, which is moved at the same speed as the ends of the pins. When the ends of the pins are extended into the coating, the surface of the pin support is maintained out of contact with the surface of the latex coating, so as not to disturb, or compress the surface of the coating beformed in the coating without piercing the depositlon backing, and a coating of latex is retained between ends of the pins and the backing. Due to this action the pins are withdrawn before the latex coagulates under their ends so that a suilicient quantity of the latex will be withdrawn by the pins to prevent the bottom of the depressions from being closed by coagulated films.

The blunt pins are particularly useful for making relatively large holes in the coating because such holes can be formed without piercing the deposition backing as is required in the case of sharp pins. 'Ihe blunt pins are particularly desirable where it is desired to maire openings in the latex coating larger than the mesh of the 'textile fabric upon which it is deposited and attempted to make openings in the coating larger than the stretchable size of the meshes, or loops .in the case of a knitted fabric, with the use of sharp pins, the conical ends ofthe pins are extended through the fabric and form holes therein or enlarge the mesh thereof and are liable to break the threads of the fabric.

However, where it is desired to form openings in the textile fabric andrelatively small holes in the coating, the sharp pointed pins may be used to advantage. can be allowed in the variation in the length of the sharp pointed pins in the same set, than in the case of blunt pins.

Considering the above action of the pins on the latex' coating, it is desirable to extend the blunt pins into the latex coating and remove them therefrom before the latex has substantially, coagulated to prevent coagulated films from forming over the depressions formed by the pins`. It ls also desirable to extend the sharp pins into the latex coating before the latex has substantially coagulated to prevent or reduce the amount sharp points into or through the backing, and it is also desirable to remove the points before further coagulation in order tospeed up the process. Where the latex is carried through the backing such as the textile fabric with the sharp pins the presence of this latex in some cases is objectionable and it is diiiicult to remove because it is bonded through the openings to the coating Where the-latex coating. isapplied to a continuously moving deposition4 backing of great length or having the form of' a continuous belt, which in either case is moved in cooperative relation with the ends of the pins, the process is con- Furthermore, greater toleranceY on the opposite side. Y

tinuouswhich greatly facilitates the manufac- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic `eide elevational view f of an apparatus for carrying out the process embodying this invention in its several forms;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the relationship of the penetrating pins and their supporting backing to the latex film-andthe deposition backing;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a laminated elastic fabric comprising a textile fabric combined with a perforate lamina of rubber made in accordance with the process of this invention; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section of Fig. 3 on line 4 4.

In the manufacture of perforate latex rubber films in accordance with one'form of the invention whichpmay be carried out by the apparatus illustrated in Fig. l, the latex is supplied from a. tank I to a deposition backing II, which comprises a travelling belt carried by two large drums I2 and I3 and lower rolls Il and I5, which cooperate with the lower reach of the belt II. The drum I2 preferably has a larger diameter at the center and it tapers to each end-to keep the belt II smoothed out laterally. 'I'he late x is spread by a doctor blade I5 evenly over vthe deposition backing II to form a coating C of `latex thereon. The flow of the latex from the tank III is controlled by a valve I1, and the backing lll is supported under the doctor blade I5 by a roll I8 to cause the latex to be spread even- 1y. In the event the latex is so liquid as applied to the belt I Iv that the indentations to be formed in the coating by the pins would fill updue to the fiow of the coating that may be caused by the forces of gravity and/or surface tension acting thereon upon the` removal of the pins, the coatl ing is first passed under a dryer I3 to increase its viscosity 'to the extent required to prevent such flow. The coating C is carried by the belt II between a roll 2U and a pin carrying roll 2|, which `has a plurality of closely spaced pins 22 arranged around its periphery on a pin supporting backing 23. The pins 22 may be of the well known card clothing type anchored in a supporting backing of fabric or leather. The ends of the pins 22 are driven in the direction of the arrow B and at the linear speed of the belt II.

VWhere pins having blunt ends are used, the pressure of pins 22 against the belt supporting roll `causes the pins to .penetrate the coating to such a depth 4that the ends of the pins 22 are forced through or nearly through the latex coating C. Any particles of latex that may stick to the ends of the pins 22 are removed therefrom by a driven rotary brush 24 and are caughtv in a pan 25. Dry heated air may be directed upon the pins after they have been removed from the coating to coagulate any latex particles on the pins to facilitate its removal therefrom by the brush 2l. Where blunt pins` are used the pins are not heated sufficiently to coagulate the latex at their ends before they are removed from the coating.

The coating C- is then carried by the belt II around the large drum I2 and before it reaches the bottom roll I4 it is converted into an elastic film F. At this point it is stripped from the belt by the rolls 26 and 21 and is'wound on a reel 2l. It is usually desirable to wind. in a lin ing cloth 23 between the convolutions of the film to prevent them from adhering to one another.

The dryer I3 controls the viscosity of the latex coating to prevent the holes formed by the pins 22 from closing up after the pins are removed. Care is used not to dry the coating to a tough elastic condition before .it is penetrated by the pins 22. After the latex coating is penetrated, it is preferably completelyv dried to render it elastic before it is removed from the deposition belt II. This may be effected by means of driers 30 kand Il and/or currents of air which may be supplied by a fan 32. The coating may also be rendered elastic by applying a chemical coagulant thereto, after the openings have been formed therein by the pins.

Where it is desired to combine the perforated coating C with a textile fabric, a web of textile fabricT is led from a reel 33 over a roll 34 and underneath-a roller 35 which is journaled in a pivoted arm I5 which may be lowered to press the fabric on to the latex coating C after it has been perforated by the pins 22 and before it has been coagulated to the extent that it will not form a good bond with the fabric T. The

belt I I is-supported under the roll 35 by a roll 31. The distances between the adjacent surfaces of these rolls can be so adjusted as to obtain the desired degree of pressure to obtain good adherence without forcing the latex through the fabric and without closing the holes in the coating C. In such operation the fabric T is not coated by the apparatus interposed between the rolls 33 and 3l, such apparatus being employed for a purpose as will be hereinafter explained. The laminated textile and latex rubber fabric is carried by belt II, around the drum I2, and taken from the belt by means of the stripping rolLs 2B and 21 and wound up in the manner described in reference to the separate latex rubber nlm F.

It is also contemplated by this invention that the coating dof latex may be applied directly to a textile fabric and permanently combined therewith. In this case, as shown in Fig, l, the textile fabric T', at the left of Fig. l, is led from the roll 38 on to the belt Il, where it is coated with latex supplied from the tank I0 and spread by the spreader I6 and dried if necessary, by the drier I3 and perforated by pins 22 on the card pin roll 2| as previously described in vreference to the coating C. The coated fabric T is passed through the drier 30 where it is preferably completely dried and then removed from the top reach of the belt II before it passes around the roll I2. The laminated textile and latex rubber fabric thus produced is pulled along by the pinch rolls 39 and is then wound on a reel 40. In this operation, where the latex is applied directly' to the fabric T', the belt II-may be eliminated. In such event the fabric would be drawn over the rolls I8 and 2D by the movement of the latter Iroll and thel pinch rolls 39 which 'would be driven at the same surface speed. l

For the purpose of reducing the size of the perforations formed in the latex coating by vthe ends of the pins 22 and the distance between such perforations, the belt II is made of elastic material to which the coating is applied and is 'penetrated by the pins 22 while the belt is stretched. 'I'he pins are then'withdrawn and the tension on the belt is released to permit it to contract and thereby contract the coating and reduce the sizeof the perforations in the coating and the distance between them. Suchresult may be accomplished by applying the latex coating to the belt II and penetrating the coating in the manner hereinbefore described. The belt I I being elastic, its top reach is stretched and the tension thereon is released, as the belt passes around thellower quarter of the drum I2, by positively driving` drums I2 and i3, and the -former at a faster surface speed than the 1atter.

In order to'obtain the necessary traction to produce the tension, the surface lof the drums may be roughened as by the use of an abrasive coating, and/or retaining some tension, on the bot' tom reach of the belt I I, but always less thanthat on the top reach, so as to hold the belt in tight engagement with the drums I2 and I3. In this operation, the coating C should be contracted-- before it is dried to such an extent that it will resist the contraction of the belt II to any sub` stantial amount. After beingr Acontracted the `coating is dried to convert it into an ensue' latex lm F which is treated and removed from the bottom reach of the belt II by the stripping v rolls 2G and 21, as previously described.

A porous super-relaxed textile and rubber fabric may be made by combining a textile fabric T with the perforated latex coating C while it is,y

on the stretched top reach of the belt II during the operation next above described. yThis may be done by adhering the textile fabric T to the coating C with the roller 35 while the coating is in a substantially uncoa'gulated condition. The coating with the fabric T adhered thereto is fthen treated in the manner next above described. The textile fabric T-is super-relaxed upon. the contraction of the coating, and the super-relaxed textile and rubber fabric 'is removed from the belt Il by the stripping rollsl 2B and 2l.

The above porous laminated super-relaxed fabric may be produced by applying the coating of latex directly to' the textile fabric T and penetrating the coating thereon with the pins 22. In this operation the coating apparatus to the left of the pin roll 2| is not employed. The latex'5 is supplied from a tank 4|' and spread upon the fabric ,T by the vdoctor blade 42 tdproduce the coating C' on the fabric. The fabric T is supported underneath the doctor blade 42 by a roll` 43. The blade 42 is carried b y an arm 44' pivoted at 45. The space between the end of the doctor blade 42 and the fabric is controlled by an adjustable stop 4B. For the purpose of maintaining some tension on the fabric Tand the line of contact between it and the roll 43 constant, the roll of fabric 33 is rotatably mounted on an arm 41 pivoted between-its ends at 48, andthe fabric is passed Vover a roll 43. A weight D on'the arm 41 maintains the roll 33 in contact with the roll 43.

The viscosity of the coating'may becontrolled to the proper degree by the drier 5I. In order to penetrate the coating C' with-thepins 22, the arm 52 pivoted at 53 and carrying the card pin roll 2I and brush 24, is moved about the pivot point from the position D tothe position E, so

that the pins 22 are brought into rolling engagement with the fabric T as it passes around the roll 34.

the pins are supported out of contact with the belt II. The latex coating C' is adjacent to the roll 2l and is penetrated by the ends of the pins 22, which are driven at the same linear speed as The direction of rotation of the roll `2.I is now reversed to that of the arrow G, and

II-between the rolls 35 and 31.

cacao Since the latex coating C' has been applied to the fabric T in a substantially uncoagulated condition, good adhesion to the fabric will be obtained if it" is now dried to a tacky coagulated condition, and this is preferably done after it has been perforated by the pins 22 and before it is adhered to the stretched reach of the belt II, in order to control the adhesion of the coating to the belt and to obtain better control of the flow of the coating and reduce the liability of the holes therein being closed during the process of applying the adhesive to the belt.' As shown herein the coating is 'dried to the-tacky coagulated condition by the drier 54, and it isthen adhered to the stretched reach of the belt II by firmly pressing the coating C' against the belt With the proper control of pressure, the desired-adhesion is obtained without closing the holes formed by the pins 22. The laminated textile and latex rub. ber fabric so produced rmay be'` then carried through the process and treated in the manner described in reference to the production of the previously mentioned condensed latex rubber film, and the laminated super-relaxed textile and later rubber fabric.

-The roll 34 is covered with solid soft resilient coating under the blunt ends of the pins is forced through the fabric T. Some of this latex sticks to the surface of the roll 34 and some of it sticks to the outer surface of the fabric T.- That which sticks to the roll 34 is removed by a revolving brush 55 and the removed particles are caught f in a pan 56. The latex that sticks to the outer surface of the fabric T is coagulated but not thoroughly dried by passing warm air over' it after the coating has been perforated` and the coagulated particles are scraped oil by the square revolving beater bar 51. I'he loose rubber pariiicles on the surface of the fabric T are blown laterally from the fabric with an air Jet, not shown. In all of the cases mentioned herein the driers may consist of open heaters or of means for circulating warm dry air over the latex coating. It is preferred that the drier 3| be capable of at least partially vulcanizing the rubber film before it is removed from the belt II which is done in some cases as a. precaution to prevent the rubber from being torn when removed by the rolls2l and 21.

If the sharp pointed pins are used on the pin roll 2| to penetrate the coating from the outer surface, the pointsL are extended through the coating into the material upon which 1t is applied and if the latex is applied to the textile fabric the Apoints of the pins are extended into the backing which supports the fabric. In such case sponge rubber may be used to support the latex coating directly or to support the fabric and for this purpose the outer surface of the belt II andthe roll 34 may be covered with a layer of sponge rubber. A

In the event the latex coating is applied to the textile fabric the sharp pins may be extended through the coating from either its outer surface or from the fabric side without supporting the y two rolls so that the pins will extend through the unsupported fabric from 'the coated side. AThe pins may be extended through the coating from the fabric side by running fabric over a pin roll with the fabric next to the roll. In this case vthe roll having-sharp pins in it may be substituted for meren u andthe pm m11 2| would not be utilized. It is desirable that the fabric be stretched cross-wise Where it is passed over the the fabric from the coated orvthe fabric side. 'lhe crosswise stretch may be accomplished with a tentering machine.

The super-relaxed laminated porous elastic ,pin rolls whether the pins are extended through fabric produced with the use of blunt pins by the;

foregoing operations is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The laminated fabric, as shown in cross section in Fig. 4 comprises a lamina of textile fabric T and a lamina of perforate latex rubber R produced by the combination of the vtextile fabric and the perforate latex coating. The lamina of rubber is provided with a pluralityof pores dentations 59 are produced in the surface of the textile fabric T opposite each of the pores which -produces a design effect on the textile fabric side `of the composite fabric.

If desired a porous laminated. super-relaxed fabric may be produced by first super-relaxing a textile fabric and-applying -the coatingv of latex thereto as described in the co-pending applica- .shown on lg'. 2. The pins are extendedthrough the coating C and have made temporary depressions in yieldable deposition backing.' Il. As'

shown all of the coating C has been displaced underneath the pins, but where pins with blunt ends are used it is not necessary to completely displace all of the latex at the ends of the pins.

A thin deposit of latex may be left underneath the pins whichA may be broken by stretching the elastic film of latex rubber made therefrom.

The pins 22 are preferably constructed so that they are capable of resiliently resisting the pressure they exert on the deposition backing. This enables the end of each pin to adjust itself for variations in the length of the pins and thickness of the deposition backing, and to exert a firm pressure on the backing. The resiliency is procured by bending the pins 22 as` at 60 or by forming coils in the pins. It is also contemplated that the pins may be arranged in any desired design and cross-sectional shape to producedesigns or surface effects on the porous latex film and/or the super-relaxed fabric. y

The latex' used in the operations described herein should be thick enough so that it will re- .tain the pin impressions as spread, or else sufiiciently stable so that it willdry to this thickness without coagulating and in either case must be' spread smoothly without striking through the textile fabric. A latex having the following ingredients has been found suitable.

tion of Merwyn C. Teague, Serial No. 221,811,

filed July 28, l1938, and then rendering the latex coating porous as described hereinbefore. In carryinggout this operation' the textile fabric is removably adhered to a stretched elastic surface witha removable adhesive such as starch or glue. Ihe' tension on the elastic surface is released to super-relax the'fabric and then the coating of latex is applied thereto and perforated with the pins 22 while the coating is in the proper condition as hereinbefore described. The pin impressed coating is then dried at least partially vulcanired,l and removed with the textile fabric from the elastic super-relaxing surface as described in said co-pending'application. Theremoval may be effected by softening the removable adhesive with water and then stripping the fabric from the super-relaxing surface. If the removable adhesive has not dried too much the fabric may be stripped from the surface Without furthersoftening the adhesive. After the fabric is removedthe adhesive used to adhere it to the .surface is washed from the fabric and the porous laminated super-relaxed textile and latex fabric is obtained. The textile fabric layer in the textile and rubber fabric so produced does not extend into the perforations in the latex rubber layer to the extent shown in Fig. 4 and in some cases the extension of the fabric into the perforations is not noticeable. It is intended that the rubber i'llm may be vulcanized either before or after it is removed from the traveling belt and either before or after .it

-is Wound on the reels and Whether made sepa-v rately or combined with a textile fabric.

An enlarged view of the pins 22 having blunt ends, taken on section line 2-2, in Fig. 1, is

. l Parts by weight Rubber-.in creamed latex 100.0

Water in creamed latex 53.8 Casein thickener (solubilized in aqueous alkali, casein 1.5 parts) 4.5 Sodium hydroxide .5 Aqueouscolloidal sulphur` paste (sulphur 1 part) 1.7 Aqueous colloidalzinc oxide paste (Z O 1 part) 2.5 Aqueous non-discoloring antioxidant paste (antioxidant 1 part) 2.5 Aqueous ultra rapid accelerator paste (Accelerator 1 part) 2.3

Total solids, 64%.

Having thus described our invention, whatwe claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The method, of making a perforate latex rubber film comprising the steps of applying a substantially uncoagulated coating of latex to a deposition backing: forming openings in the .coating by' extending pins into and removing them from the coating, said pins being removed from said coatingbefore it has been coagulated 'sufficiently to render it tough and elastic, and

While it is in a sufiioiently viscous condition that the Walls of the depressions formed by the pins will not flow together as a result of the forces of gravity and surface tension acting thereon; and treating the coating to convert it into an elastic-film.

2. The method of making a' perforate latex rubber film comprising the steps of applying a substantially uncoagulated coating of latex to a deposition backing; forming openings in the while it is in a sufficiently viscous condition that the walls of the depressions formed by the pins will not flow together as a result of the forces of gravity and surface tension acting thereon;

at least partially vulcanizing the coating; and removing the coating from the deposition backing.

3. The method ofmaking a latex rubber film comprising the steps of progressively applying aA substantially uncoagulated coating of latex to a moving deposition backing; forming openings in the coating by extending the ends of pins projecting from a rotating cylinder into and out of the coating while the surface of the cylinder is maintained out of contact with the coating and while the coating is in a substantially luncoagulated condition and in a sumciently viscous condition that the walls of the depressions formed by the pins will not flow together as a result of the vforces of gravity and surface tension acting thereon; and treating the coating to convert it into an elastic film.

from the coating before the latex coagulates under the pins sufficiently to render it tough and elastic and while the coating is in a sumciently viscous condition that the walls of the depressions formed by the pins will not flow together as a result of forces of gravity and surface tension acting thereon: and treating the coating to c onvert it into an elastic film.

5. The method of making a perforate latex rubber nlm comprising the steps of applying a substantially uncoagulated coating `of latex to a deposition backing; extending the blunt ends of pins projecting from a support into the coating and pressing the ends firmly against the backing while maintaining a free space between the top surface of the coating and the pin support: removing the pins from the coating before the latex coagulates under the pins"suiiicient1y to render it tough and elastic and while the coating is in a suiliciently viscous condition that the walls of the depressions formed by the pins will not flow together as a result of forces of gravity and surface tension acting thereon; and treating the coating to convert it into an elastic film. f

6. The method of making perforate latex rubber films comprising the steps of applyinga coating of substantially uncoagulate'd latex to a stretched elastic surface, forming openings in the coating by extending pins into said coating, removing said pins from said coating before it has substantially coagulated and while the coating possesses such viscosity that the openings formed therein by the pins remain therein at ordinary conditions of pressure afterthe pins are removed, releasing at least some of the tension on said stretched surface and thereby contracting said coating, treating said coating to convert it into an elastic rubber lm, and removing said lm from said surface.

7.' The method of making a porous laminated textile and latex rubber Afabric comprising the steps of forming openings in a coating of latex by extending the ends of pins into the coating and removing them therefrom before the latex has substantially coagulated, the pins being removed from the coating while it possesses such a viscosity that the openings formed by the pins remain therein after the pins have been removed; and treating said film after it has been combined with a layer of textile fabric to render the rubber film elastic.

8. The method of making a porous laminated textile and latex rubber fabric comprising the steps of applying 'a coating of substantially uncoagulated latex to a surface, forming openings in the coating by extending pins into it while the rubber particlesl contained therein are in the dispersed phase, removing said pins from said coatlng while the rubber particles are in, the dispersed phase and while the coating possesses such a viscosity that the openings produced by said pins remain in said coating after the pins are removed,

then applying a textile fabric to said coating,

coagulating said latex coating and removing said textile fabric with the rubber coating adhered thereto from said surface.

9. 'I'he method of making a porous laminated textile and latex rubber fabric comprising the steps of applying aicoating of substantially uncoagulated latex .to a textile fabric, forming openings in the coating by extending pins into the coating, removing said pins from said coating before the coating has substantially coagulated and while the coating possesses such a viscosity that `the openings produced by said pins remain in said coatingv after the pins are removed, and treating said coating to produce an elastic perforate film of rubber bonded to said -fabric. l

10. The method of making a porous laminated textile and latex rubber fabric comprising the steps of applying a coating of substantially unof a plurality of spaced pins into saidv coating f and firmly against the textile fabric but not through same, removing said pins from said coat- `ing before the latex under the ends of the pin has substantially coagulated and while the coating is in such a viscous condition that the walls of the depressions made by the pins will not flow together by virtue of forces of gravity and surface tension acting on saidcoating, and treating said coating so as lto convert it into an elastic film of latex rubber.

l1. The method of making an elastic porous laminated textile and latex tube fabric comv prislng the steps of applying a coating of latex to the surface of the textile fabric. forming openings in the coating by extending a plurality of spaced pins into andv removing them from said coating while it is in a plastic, non-elastic and G0 somewhat dispersed condition and its viscosity is'such that the walls of the depressions made in .the coating by the pins due to forces of gravity and surface tension actan elastic surface. drying the coating to a tacky coagulated condition, adhesively uniting theV coated side of said textile fabric to such stretched surface, releasing at least some of the tension on said surface to thereby super-relax saidfabric and condense the coating therewith, and removing said textile fabric with the nlm adhered thereto from said elastic surface.

12. The method of making ian elastic porous laminated textile and latex rubber fabric comcoagulated latex to a textile fabric, forming openings in said coating by extending the blunt ends will not flow together ing thereon after the pins are removed. stretching prising the steps of applying a coating of substantially uncoagulated latex to the surface of the -textile fabric, forming openings in the coating by extending the blunt ends of pins into the coating and firmly against the textile fabric but not through same, removing said pins from said coating before the latex has been coagulated to a tough elastic condition and while it possesses such a viscosity. 'that the openings formed by the pins remain in said coating after their removal, drying the coatingv to tacky condition,

'stretching an elastic surface, adhering the coated side of said textile fabric to said stretched surface, releasing at least someof the tension on said surface to thereby super-relax said fabric and condense the coating therewith, and removing said textile fabric with the nlm adhered thereto from said elastic surface.

13. The method of making an elastic porous laminated textile and latex rubber fabric comprising the steps of applying a coating of substantially uncoagulated latex to the surface of the textile fabric, forming openings in said coating by extending the blunt ends of a plurality of spaced pins into said coating and firmly against the fabric but not through same, removing said lpins from said coating before it has substantially coagulated and while it is in such a viscous condition that the walls of the depressions made by the pins will not ilow together by virtue of forces of gravity and surface tension acting thereon, stretching an elastic surface, drying the latex to a tacky condition, adhering the coated side of said textile fabric to such stretched surface while the latex coatingl is in the tacky condition, releasing at least some of the tension on said surface to Athereby superrelax said fabric and condense the coating theresuch a viscosity that the openings produced by said plnsremain in said coating after the pins are removed, adhering a textile fabric to said perforated coating, and releasing sufcient tension on said surface to super-relax said fabric and contract the coating therewith, treating said latex coating to convert it into an elastic film of latex rubber, and removing said textile fabric with the film adhered thereto from the elastic surface.

l5. The method of making perforate latex rubber lms comprising the steps of applying a coat- 'ing of latex to a stretched elastic surface, ex-

tending pins through said coating while the coating is in a plastic and substantially non-elastic condition, removing said pins from said coating while the coating possesses such viscosity that the openings produced thereby in said coating remain.

therein at ordinary conditions of pressure after the pins are removed, releasing at least some of the tension on said stretched surface and thereby contracting said coating, treating said coating to convert it into an elastic rubber film, andremoving said film from said surface.

MERWYN C. TEAGUE.

PAUL L. MAHONEY. 

